1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and server computer for generating map images and providing the map images to users through the Internet, and more particular to a technique of generating a virtual space in which stereoscopic images are placed to represent real buildings and the like which exist in the real world.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, three-dimensional map images become available in a map space provided by a car navigation system or in a virtual space provided for realizing a virtual shopping mall. These three-dimensional map images are, for example, columnar images such as rectangular parallelepiped images and so forth which represent real world buildings. The three-dimensional map image can be created, for example, by searching a database for height data of a building in correspondence with the X and Y coordinates of a map element, and arranging a three-dimensional columnar image having this height as described in Japanese Patent Published Application No. Hei 4-149681.
However, in the case of the system as described in this publication, a user who wants to create a three-dimensional map image has to prepare a database storing height data in correspondence with the X and Y coordinates of the respective map elements for arranging columnar images. Also, in the real world, the construction of new buildings, reconstruction and demolition of old buildings are done on a routine basis, and therefore it requires a great investment of time to carry out maintenance of the database. Because of this, there is room for improvement in the technique of creating a three-dimensional map, in which columnar images are arranged, in terms of the time and labor as required.